International Dispute Resolution
Overview
The peaceful settlement of disputes is a key aspect of international law and international relations. Article 33(1) of the United Nations Charter states that any dispute that is likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security should first be addressed through “negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to regional agencies or arrangements, or other peaceful means of their own choice.”
CIL focuses on disputes involving States and is looking at International Dispute Resolution (IDR) in its large acceptation, including the activity of international courts and tribunals, Investor-State dispute settlement (ISDS), and new mechanisms such as treaty compliance committees in charge of both dispute prevention and resolution.
The IDR scene is bubbling: the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has never been busier; new types of disputes involving interconnected human rights and climate change-related issues have been emerging and the backlash against ISDS has triggered unprecedented reform efforts.
New frontiers and challenges will also include the emerging role of Artificial Intelligence for IDR while its objective remains to find the most appropriate method(s) of dispute resolution for every dispute, delivering effectiveness and sustainable outcomes.
Recent IDR Events:
- CIL Singapore Convention Week Partner Event, 25 August 2025: “The Roadmap to a Successful Mediation in ISDS”
- SIAC-CIL Academic-Practitioner Colloquium: Counsel, Valuation, and Experts in Investment Treaty Arbitration, 6 August 2025
- In February and March 2025, CIL’s IDR programme hosted Professor Emilia Onyema from SOAS University (London) and Professor Ezéchiel Amani Cirimwami from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB).
- On 24-29 November 2024, CIL’s International Economic Law Programme and International Dispute Resolution Programme organised the Singapore International Arbitration Academy (SIAA) 2024, 24 - 29 November 2024
- “A new Era for IDR: Breaking the Stronghold of Arbitration”, 8 April 2024
Conference related-Output
- Working Paper no. 1: The Resolution of intractable Investor-State Disputes, Ways Forward (Dr Nilufer Oral, Celine Lange).
- Conference Report (Daniel Pakpahan).
- Thought Paper, Toby Landau, KC: International Investment Arbitration and the Search for Depoliticisation.
- Thought Paper, Ye-Min Wu: Beyond the Award: Managing Geopolitics and Stakeholder Interests in Arbitration.
- Preston, B. J., & Butler, K. (2024)
- Journal of Energy & Natural Resources Law: “Investor–state dispute settlement in natural resources, energy and environmental cases”; “Appropriate dispute resolution of investor–state disputes in natural resources, energy and environmental cases”
- Discussion Paper (8 April 2024)
International Courts and Tribunals
- The last 2025 issue of the International Courts & Tribunals Bulletin (Issue no. 3) is available here.
- 17 September 2025: Issue no. 2 of the International Courts & Tribunals Bulletin is now available here.
- On 11 July 2025, CIL IDR launched its International Courts & Tribunals Bulletin — a bi-monthly update on key legal and institutional developments in major international courts and tribunals engaged in State-level dispute resolution — and released the inaugural issue of the Bulletin.
- Summary of 2024 cases: International Court of Justice (ICJ) and International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS)
IDR Researchers’ Activities
IDR Publications
IDR Working Papers | Working Paper no. 1 (2024)
Working Paper no. 1 (2024) - Dr Nilufer Oral, Celine Lange, “The Resolution of intractable Investor-State Disputes, Ways Forward”. This Paper provides an overview of the current state of Investment Arbitration and discusses possible avenues that might be considered to improve the current Investor-State dispute resolution system, with climate change/environmental issues as a principal test subject. In disputes involving these issues, the tension clearly appears between the broad socio-economic interests of States and the narrower interests of foreign investors.
IDR Working Papers | Working Paper no. 2 (2026)
Working Paper no. 2 (2026) - Celine Lange, Alexandre Senegacnik, “A Call for Proactive Approaches in ISDS Arbitral Practice and Procedure - Engaging with local communities in environment-related disputes”. This Paper examines how a more proactive procedural engagement of arbitral tribunals with local communities' interests could contribute to ensuring that relevant public interest concerns are meaningfully considered in ISDS cases. The Paper seeks to demonstrate that, contrary to prevailing assumptions, arbitral tribunals are empowered, under existing procedural frameworks and through the exercise of their procedural discretion, to take on a more proactive role.
Second edition of text 'International Commercial Arbitration: An Asia Pacific Perspective
The IDR team has played a major role in the publication of the second edition of the textbook International Commercial Arbitration: An Asia-Pacific Perspective to be published by Kluwer in 2022. The team has provided substantial research and administrative support to the authors, Dr Romesh Weeramantry, Simon Greenberg, and Dr Christopher Kee. This included managing the production of a set of 21 reports on different Asian countries and institutions by top practitioners.
Survey on Settlement in Investor-State Disputes
In a time of growing criticism of investor-State dispute settlement, this is an opportune time to ask why parties are not settling disputes more frequently. The team conducted an online survey to gain insight into what experienced players consider to be the key challenges to settlement.
